Krispy Kreme’s store at Edinburgh St James Quarter shopping center in Scotland opened its doors at the end of Summer 2021. The store encompasses digital technology at its core with the complete in-store digital experience managed and controlled through embed signage.

This store is a modern take on the original initiative by founder Vernon Rudolph. Back in 1937, when cooking doughnuts at a rented building in North Carolina, passers-by would smell them and stop to ask if they could buy the fresh hot doughnuts. So, he cut a hole in an outside wall and started selling Hot Original Glazed doughnuts directly to customers on the sidewalk. This story is carried through in today’s iteration at Edinburgh St James Quarter, where dozens can be served directly through the LED hole in the wall.

Here’s a video that shows this unique LED experience:

The LED “Hole in the Wall” is a global first for the Krispy Kreme brand, cementing the UK and Ireland’s arm as the most digitally forward-thinking territory by utilizing digital technology as a primary element of the store operation. The LED feature’s content has been created specifically for the LED hole with naked-eye 3D effects.

There is also a 10-inch tablet for staff to activate the “HOT NOW” state either immediately or via a 30-minute countdown. The 30-minute countdown ends in the same “HOT NOW” state but adds additional anticipation content on the main 5-by-1 portrait menus. During the 30 minute countdown, a variety of content changes take place on the screens every five minutes. For the final 10 seconds, there is a full screen takeover on the 5-by-1 menus. With the countdown completed and the Hot Original Glazed doughnuts ready to serve, all the screen content changes to the “HOT NOW” menu and promos (5-by-1menus and LED hole in the wall).

At the same time, commands are sent to the in-store lighting system to dim the main white lights, activate the red strips throughout the roof and windows and activate the red “HOT NOW” signs at the serving counter and store entrance. The entire store becomes “HOT NOW” and clearly visible to any passer-by.